World record attempt for fastest prop-driven aircraft (P-51)

[JohnTerrell]

As I recall, that clip was from one of the practice days.

Here is a video showing all four passes of the actual record-setting flight yesterday - in the first pass seen in this video, the aircraft was traveling at 554 mph.

https://www.facebook.com/PursuitAviatio ... 633217915/

[CAPFlyer]

Looking through all the comments, it's amazing how many people think that Steve Hinton is the one flying and not Steve-O. I really wish the Pursuit Aviation facebook page would be a bit more clear on it because they keep calling both of them "Steve Hinton" almost interchangeably and only occasionally using "Steve-O".

I would like to know if this is the first time for a son to break an FAI record previously held by his father? I know it's not a direct lineage, but Steve was the holder of the record until Lyle and then Will "broke"/set the record under the new weight class and timing system.

[airnutz]

Awesome sound!!
EDIT
Apparently there was abit of confusion yesterday with many folks under the impression this would be a live feed event.
Edit 2
Ooops, Checking my e-maill first time today, I posted the Pursuit video link due to a prompt from Wix topic notification right after Marks video of the practice pass. Didna noo John posted it this morning!

[mazdaP5]

That is Bonkers!

[Zac Yates]

EDIT
Apparently there was abit of confusion yesterday with many folks under the impression this would be a live feed event.

I seem to remember the original attempt was to be livestreamed, as was the next. Regardless it'll be great to see the footage captured.

[airnutz]

I seem to remember the original attempt was to be livestreamed, as was the next. Regardless it'll be great to see the footage captured.

Yep, I was ending my day de-moisturizing my little piece-o-Houston checking the Pursuit Aviation fb page every half hour and following the comments section. I didn't want to miss it. After it was apparent it had happened...it was no worries. Really happy with the 4 pass video back-to-back with no BS in between...all 100% prime screamin' beef!

[Zac Yates]

Amen!

[phil65]

So did Voodoo officially break the record, or was it just one pass ?

Thanks,
Phil

[ignomini]

They set a new record in their weight class, which happens to be the fastest speed record held by a piston engine, prop driven airplane. If Rare Bear's record had not been retired, then Voodoo would not have set an average fast enough to break the old record. I believe the difference must be one percent. I think the confusion stems from the old vs. new FIA categories. Voodoo is officially the world's fastest two way average, based on four total passes. They also probably put up the fastest ever one way pass, but the potential for tailwinds makes one pass alone somewhat meaningless. Still, watching the replay of that first pass, all one can say is variations of dang.

[k5083]

So did Voodoo officially break the record, or was it just one pass ?

Thanks,
Phil

It is currently listed on FAI's website as "claim received" for its class, C1e (C1 for internal combustion engine powered airplanes, e for 3000-6000 kg weight class), speed over a 3 km course. Presumably it will check out and be ratified as a new record.

I have tried to be impressed by this result but have failed, since it would not have qualified if Rare Bear's record had not been retired. I've not yet seen a satisfying account of why the old records, including Steve Sr.'s in the RB-51, no longer stand. With all records earlier than 1990 retired, the speed they had to beat to claim this record was a lowly 521 km/h. And if the older records were retired because "changes in the sporting code" make them not comparable with current runs, I guess we can't really say that Voodoo is faster than the Bear.

Unless the older records were retired because the record for class C-1 (internal combustion powered airplane regardless of weight) no longer exists, and because the weights for Rare Bear, the RB-51, Conquest 1, etc. cannot be verified and therefore their weight class cannot be confirmed. If so, then we could say that Voodoo is faster than Bear, but the disqualification of Bear would be a bit bogus -- there's not much doubt which weight class it would fit in.

August

[phil65]

Thanks for the info....

I think we need to get Voodoo, Rare Bear and Strega at Reno next year for a race...

Phil

[Zac Yates]

1) Voodoo's retiring from racing, here's a text message from Stevo (not to me!): "It's finished racing but there's talk of more records, not going to the Smithsonian. The airplane will continue flying"
2) Rare Bear seems kinda mothballed (but still looks wonderful) but Rod Lewis isn't saying anything

What they're saying is Stevo and Strega broke the existing C1e (set by Will Whiteside and Steadfast in 2012?) with a new record of 531.53mph, averaged across the four passes. This was impacted by an oil temp or pressure issue.

[RobC]

My interpretation of the record classes is that it is kind of like grade inflation. There was more demand for records than supply of records. So, they just created a bunch of new records. I don't think the FAI ever did supply an explanation for why they "retired" the old records.

But living in the real world, the Voodoo team set the new record. It was just coincidence that it landed within 1% of the old Rare Bear record. There is no reason for them to attempt another run. The most it could do would be change the speed number. It would not alter the fact that they own the record, and they are the fastest piston aircraft in recorded history. And I, for one, am extremely grateful that they chose to turn it around and go to Reno. It was an epic, historic battle.

[RacingMustang]

So did Voodoo officially break the record, or was it just one pass ?

Thanks,
Phil

It is currently listed on FAI's website as "claim received" for its class, C1e (C1 for internal combustion engine powered airplanes, e for 3000-6000 kg weight class), speed over a 3 km course. Presumably it will check out and be ratified as a new record.

I have tried to be impressed by this result but have failed, since it would not have qualified if Rare Bear's record had not been retired. I've not yet seen a satisfying account of why the old records, including Steve Sr.'s in the RB-51, no longer stand. With all records earlier than 1990 retired, the speed they had to beat to claim this record was a lowly 521 km/h. And if the older records were retired because "changes in the sporting code" make them not comparable with current runs, I guess we can't really say that Voodoo is faster than the Bear.

Unless the older records were retired because the record for class C-1 (internal combustion powered airplane regardless of weight) no longer exists, and because the weights for Rare Bear, the RB-51, Conquest 1, etc. cannot be verified and therefore their weight class cannot be confirmed. If so, then we could say that Voodoo is faster than Bear, but the disqualification of Bear would be a bit bogus -- there's not much doubt which weight class it would fit in.

August

I'm having trouble not being impressed by the new record. Yes, old FAI rules said the record had to be bested by 1% but that's irrelevant for two reasons: 1. those rules are in the dustbin of history now; 2. Voodoo ran faster than RB. Period.

I can't get around the fact that 531mph > 528mph. Requiring it to be bested by 1% is just bureaucratic protection to avoid too much paperwork from folks beating records by fractions of a second...it's not based in any real common sense. In auto racing, we don't say "Oh, you only beat him by the width of your bumper so it doesn't count." Voodoo ran faster than Rare Bear and has the record. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Maybe that's simplistic, but it's the truth. I understand the RB fans being a little miffed, and yes I think the FAI changes/retirements are stupid, but this is the reality we have. In no way is Voodoo not the fastest piston-engined propeller driven airplane in the world.

On another note, I wouldn't be surprised if Button and crew take another crack at it given the engine issues on the 4th run. The wing was tested over 550mph...that's gotta be frustrating and tantalizing.

[CAPFlyer]

1) Not all records prior to 1990 were retired. See my list from earlier in this thread. Only ones in the sub-classes that were not set by weight class. This was a standardization move by the FAI as all turbine related (turboprop or turbojet) records had been divided by weight class since the 1960s.

2) The issue with Rare Bear's being retired is that either no one knows or no one will say what she weighed during the attempt. If they did, then the record would have stood, just as others did where the weight was declared either at the time the record was set or when the FAI went to the record holders to get the weight. As it is, they don't necessarily require the weight to be "certified". The weight classes are large enough that they're going to take you at your word unless you're really close to the line. Heck, they believed the Russians and some of the weight class records in the TU-95 and TU-142 required them to be well over their normal max gross takeoff weight to obtain (as we found out later when the Iron Curtain fell). The FAI has never required re-verification of those weights and the records still stand today.